Marlins top Mets with another Martin Prado walk-off

MIAMI Martin Prado refused to yield.

With the bases loaded and one out in the ninth, Prado fouled off six straight full-count pitches from Mets reliever Tyler Clippard before giving the Marlins a 4-3 win with his second walk-off RBI in two days, a sacrifice line out to left.

Sunday’s win for the Marlins put a slight dent in the Mets’ playoff bid.

All of the scoring for the Mets came on home runs, a solo shot by Yoenis Cespedes in the first inning and a two-run shot by Wilmer Flores in the sixth.

Jarred Cosart, who was on the mound for the Marlins, was making only his ninth start of the season, and first since July 4. He had spent most of the season on the disabled list with vertigo.

Though he showed signs of rust, Cosart managed to hold the Mets to a single run the Cespedes homer before exiting by design with two outs in the fifth upon reaching 88 pitches. Cosart was on a pre-established pitch-count limit of 60-to-80 pitches.

The Marlins took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on Jeff Mathis’ first homer of the season. But it didn’t last long. Flores put the Mets on top with a 2-run homer off Chris Narveson in the sixth.

With two outs in the eighth, though, Justin Bour launched a solo homer into the upper deck off Mets reliever Tyler Clippard, making it 3-3. It was the first pinch-hit home run of the season for the Marlins.

Jeff Mathis opened the ninth by striking out, but reached first when the ball got past Mets catcher Anthony Recker.

One out later, Dee Gordon singled to right, putting runners at the corners.

The Mets intentionally walked Christian Yelich, loading the bases for Prado.

Prado battled Clippard through a long at bat before sending a sharp line drive to left that scored the winning run from third.

(c)2015 Miami Herald

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